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A spokesperson for mydentist has apologised and said “highest quality dental care” is its first priority.
Clifford Shaw, a 65-year-old Royal Mail postman, has been awarded £11,800 by dentists at his former long-term dental practices with the help of specialist dental negligence solicitors the Dental Law Partnership.
The payment was awarded after various dentists at the practice reportedly failed to treat the progressing gum disease for years and diagnose decay contributing to the loss of a number of teeth.
This caused difficulty eating and he’s become very self-conscious. He’ll require further extensive restorative treatment and now wears dentures.
Mr Shaw was a patient at mydentist Barnoldswick, in Park Avenue, Barnoldswick, between 2007 and 2010. He also attended and mydentist in Harrison Street, Barnoldswick, from 2010 onwards.
For many years I had multiple dentists at the practice, as practitioners kept leaving year after year,” Mr Shaw said.
“During these years I was losing a lot of teeth, but no reason was given. It wasn’t picked up by the dentists as I kept having new people checking my teeth.
“The dentists would just fill my teeth, and then when that didn’t work to ease the pain, they’d pull them out. One time a dentist even filled a tooth when it was cracked,” Mr Shaw explained.
“They never gave a reason why they extracted the teeth, they just said there was nothing else they could do about it.
“Only one time did a dentist try to save a tooth. I knew something wasn’t right but didn’t know where to turn.”
Mr Shaw claimed he experienced “years of discomfort” and said he may still lose more teeth.
He said: “After years of this pain and discomfort, I have lost teeth,and will still lose more. There were gaps in my teeth even right at the front of my mouth.
“This made me look like a haggard old man, and it was also difficult to eat with so many holes in my mouth where food would get trapped.”
Frustrated with the experiences he had gone through, Mr Shaw contacted the Dental Law Partnership in 2022. Mr Shaw had gum disease and decay, which had allegedly been allowed to progress untreated.
“I now have dentures, including my two front teeth. It makes me feel dead old. It’s embarrassing, and costly,” Mr Shaw said.
“I still struggle to eat and drink with dentures on as when I chew they press on my nerves. I’m still not used to wearing them but I wouldn’t go without them as I’m so self-conscious being near people with gaps in my teeth.
“I don’t smile as much anymore and hold my hand over my mouth when speaking if I don’t have them on.”
“It’s frustrating that I wasn’t communicated with by the dentists about what their plan was. I had so many different dentists and opinions, and ultimately it led to inadequate treatment.
“You also have no one to turn to and help you to check on your teeth, or to see if things are being done properly, like the hospital. You can’t get feedback from anywhere other than your practice, and if you leave your practice, it’s hard to get an NHS appointment elsewhere.
“I’m still going through extensive restorative treatment now. Despite the dentures, the condition of my teeth is still really bad. I’m just still trying to hold on to the teeth that I’ve got, but I know more tooth loss will continue.”
Tim Armitage, of the Dental Law Partnership, said: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary.
“If the treating dentists involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, his problems could have been avoided.”
The Dental Law Partnership took on Mr Shaw’s case in 2022. The case was successfully settled in June 2024 when Mr Shaw was paid £11,800 in an out-of-court settlement by the treating dentists.
Six dentists did not admit liability. Any patients who believe they may have received negligent dental care should visit dentallaw.co.uk.
A spokesperson for mydentist said: “We would like to apologise for the experience Mr Shaw has had.
“Ensuring patients receive the highest quality dental care is our first priority and we’re disappointed that on this rare occasion, it fell below our expectations.”
